Scarlet Raptor
by KaxantheDragon
Summary: Raptor Red's life story was full of life and of sorrow. But now her story still lives, in the presence of her daughter. Scarlet is a fine utahraptor chick, and her life, full of the twists and turns one can expect in the dinosaurian world. Scarlet's story
1. Chapter 1

_There is something very interesting over there_, thought the little chick, as she crept ever so delicately over to the thing, which was, coincidentally, the tip of the tail of another _Utahraptor_ chick. It was one of her siblings, a smaller male, and he was thoroughly enjoying the crunchy, sloppy mess of a nest of eggs of a local lizard. The lizard itself was off scavenging for her own meal, leaving the nest unprotected.

At first, the little chick was intent upon tormenting her sibling, but then the sounds and smells of delightful eating reached her, so she wasted no time in biting and growling her way in, and his way out. She, in turn, delighted in the initial crunch, and slimy sensation that oozed in her mouth and down her throat. _It's not a bad idea on snooping on my brothers and sisters, _was her first mental note on this fine early morning day.

And in a few moments she will make her second one, for her brother, dejected and a bit miffed that his stronger sibling had found his prize, was sniffing around the thorny branches, hearing the sounds and smells he was just enjoying himself, when an ounce of movement caught his eye.

It was the lizard, circling back after a pre-dawn hunt to check her eggs, before she'd begin sunning herself on a nearby rock to aid in the digestion process. But lo and behold, someone had found _her_ nest, and she wasn't about to lose two months of finding a proper male to a couple of nosy chicks. She charged, a raging fury a foot long with wiry strength that couldn't be contested by any other lizard in the area. Even so, weight wise, she was no contest to the male chick, who was now debating if this brightly colored thing was worth taking a bite out of. With all her hissing and tail whacking, the lizard looked just as frightening as his bigger sister

With that realization an angry hiss of defiance spouted from his miniature mouth, a heartbeat before his mouth closed in on her tail. The lizard, surprised that her seemingly apparent win had turned so badly, twisted her more agile body and clamped her small teeth on the soft skin between the jaw and throat.

His sister, finished with her meal and curious to see what the scuffle was all about strode confidently from underneath the bush, poised and ready in case it was another game. Instead, she saw her brother trying to attack yet another tasty looking morsel. Jealous that her brother seemed to be hogging all the free meals hereabouts, the female chick darted in, her jaws snapping at the thing that should be _her_ meal, and not his.

The male, able to get a better grip on his attacker, whose grip on his neck had released, gave the lizard a vigorous shake that broke its spine in two places, leaving the lizard unable to defend itself.

The female, by now, was dancing and jerking, trying to steal the fresh kill right from her brother's very jaws. He, rather then let his sibling pose another victory, quickly swallowed the creature whole.

The last thing the female saw was the lizard's bright yellow patches disappear into her brother's gullet. Angered, she flashed her fore claws, threatening him in his moment of victory as she has seen her parents do with the _Deinonychs _when they've wandered too close to the cave.

The male, aware of the serious glint in his sister's eye, was beginning to back away when something triggered. Unbeknown-st to the chicks, that lizard had one major defense. Its skin is poisonous. Offensively, so was the saliva in the lizard's mouth. Thus, the male had four things going against him; the poison in the bite and now being digested in the skin was beginning to race through his blood. Stress, from the attack and now his sister's aggression, was making his already fast heart rate exceedingly so. As for his youth, his size and immune system could not cope with the toxicity now coursing through his blood stream. For an adult _Utahraptor_ the poison would have only caused a slight belly ache, but for a chick of his size and condition, it was deadly. And now, it was beginning to surface as a struggle for life; a struggle that consisted of madness.

The male choked out a struggled cry of hostility and pain. A cry that immediately alerted the pack, most specifically the parents of the chick. They had been relaxing after a solid meal of the mountainous sub-species of iguanodont, keeping an eye on both parents' youngsters as they played together. As a whole, the watchful eye of the adults had not noticed two of the chicks venturing just out of sight on the other side of the slope, and so, when the sounds of a squabble reached them, the oldest female and her mate, who have identified the cries as one of their own, reluctantly got to their feet and began taking relaxed strides to their chicks when the male's cry reached them. Alerted, both sets of parents set off, the chicks mother and father reaching the duet before the other two.

The bigger female chick ducked, was unable to avoid dual slashes from her brother's clawed hands, leaving a trio of cuts above her left eye and down to the corner of her lip. Yet she avoided an even closer metallic click of teeth just centimeters from her neck. The female chick was hurt, confused, and scared. This wasn't like her brother, who never has challenged her since the day they were competing for food in the Cave-Nest. And now his uncharacteristic malevolence was beginning to frighten her _This isn't natural_, her little mind pieced together.

And so noted both sets of guardians. The female chick was the most vigorous out of the older female's brood, and her persistently aggressive behavior has never folded against one of her sibs nor the other brood of chicks now standing behind their blood parents. The older adult female, formerly known as Raptor Red, watched in perplexity at the situation. It was normal for chicks to have their rivalries. She remembers herself of her own rivalries with her siblings, including, at one point in time, against her dead sister. Now that the tables have been unnaturally turned over, Raptor Red wasn't entirely sure if she should intervene, or let natural selection take its course.

She changed her mind; however, when she noted the slight foamy spittle forming at the corners of the male chick's mouth, and the almost crazed look in her son's eyes. Raptor Red cannot recall any of these signs in her repertoire. Nothing in her personal experience could prepare her for this tragic moment. Only instinct. And now instinct was waving an army of red flags before her muzzle, and by instinct alone did she even move at all to save her chicks.

By reflex, she picked up the big female tenderly in her mouth, mostly because the female chick was aiming for her parent's protective shadow, even though the chick was just beginning to get too big for Raptor Red's muscled neck to support. That action alone saves the chick, for the male landed with a Thwump! His killing claws sinking into the soft mat of pine needles and cones. He, in turn, scrambled viciously at his mother's feet, trying to attack and stand all at once. Again, by reflex, Raptor Red kicked her son away, careful not to use her claws, as well as not to push too hard. Even so, with the male's frantic state, he rolled a few times down hill, convulsed, and died.

Raptor Red's consort watched the procession with tense nervousness. He, too, had seen the signs of diseased madness, yet he was more unwilling then Red to intervene. He can still remember Red's harsh accusations when he had accidentally attacked Red's sister's chicks just months before. He was more unwilling to lose her again because of another accusation, but to see her do so herself, even however gently she did it, was a bit overwhelming, leaving his brain unable to properly file this sudden mass of information.

Raptor Red was stunned. She hadn't expected that the action would kill the chick, she's done it multiple of times when her hands have been busy holding other things while the chicks insist upon taking a curious nip at it. And now one of her chicks was dead

The weight of the surviving chick in her mouth awoke her from her daze. She set the chick gently on her feet, and proceeded to investigate the chick's wounds. Nothing seemed serious, even the cuts across her face were just deep enough to probably scar the chick for life. Other then that she was okay. The chick was very lucky, if she had been bitten, she could have shared a fate similar to her brother's, though not nearly so deadly.

Raptor Red gave her daughter a few tender licks, washing the wound as best as a raptor can. Her sister's chick and mate were already investigating the dead chick and the signs around it, trying to put the story together and understand the danger that had passed. Red's consort joined them, studying the fallen chick with eyes and nose. Red, once satisfied that the frightened, shivering chick would live, walked slowly to the body of the chick, before sitting right next to the lifeless form. She is, at first, quiet, and at a loss. Then as the realization dawns on her, she gurgles and coos frantically, as if trying to calm the lifeless chick, but mostly she's trying to calm herself.

Her mate sits and leans against her, grooming around her ear and neck, trying to soften his mate's pain. Raptor Red's sister's chick leans against her other side, cooing and gurgling calmly. Her mate stands at attention, forlorn, but keeping an eye on the combined chicks. There was no need; however, the chicks sense the loss from their parents and hovered close. One chick, the biggest chick, remains where she was, shivering, eying the corpse between the adults. Subconsciously aware that that could have been her. Small drying drops of scarlet drip down, passing the eye, and then splashing on her cheek.

Her name. Scarlet.


	2. Chapter 2

**july**

Raptor Red and her pack left the chick a few hours later. Raptors aren't cold blooded, but to remain any longer than that feeds no bellies, besides, it was the game of natural selection. If the chick had lived, he very well might have ignored a much stronger scent warning of a stronger, more potent poisonous from other prey species. In either case, he very well might have died, except probably with more dedicated time and effort done on his parents part to ensure his survival. As such, even though Raptor Red suffers a loss now, she has been spared an even greater loss later on in her life. After all, it is only natural for the living to die, but it is harder to deal with once a long and strong attachment has been made.

By the time they returned to the kill, their tro-odont friends were playing games in, around, and through the iguanodont rib cage. A sentry, one of the adults, stands on the shoulder of the carcass, watching for any signs of the hated local Deinonychs packs. The little creature sees his raptor friends, and chirps a friendly greeting, as it jumps from its perch. Little tro-odont feet pit-patter across the needled forest floor, the adults slowing down first, followed by their young. They sense something wrong, and with the raptor chicks looking very sullen, it was very wrong.

Scarlet numbly follows her parents. The left side of her face still smarts, and grimacing in raptor fashion only makes it worse. So instead, she remains stone faced, watching her father peer back at her from time to time, but mostly he reassures his mate. Scarlet's cousin and Raptor Red's niece comforts Red on the other side. Her mate keeps an eye on the packs' chicks.

Once near the iguanodon carcass, Raptor Red stumbles, then falls, moaning, still grieving for her lost chick. The adult tro-odonts exchange knowing glances, putting two and two together. It was obvious. Out of the five combined chicks, one was missing. The adults gather their youngsters, and gave the raptor pack some quiet time.

Scarlet watches her family proceed through social grievances. Chicks remain cuddled or near their parents, her father and cousin lean against the fallen mother on either side. Her cousin's mate steps in when he can, but the movement is awkward. It's the families first loss as a unified pack, and the fact that the male doesn't have the close relationship as the other two keeps him a bit out of the loop. Eventually, he gives up and saunters over to Scarlet, who still is _aware_, but completely devoid of awareness. The chick doesn't even fully comprehend she's no longer alone until the warmth of his tongue clears her face of the remaining dried blood.

Scarlet squeaks in surprise. Her cousin's stocky consort isn't usually cuddly with her mother's chicks, nor vice versa with his chicks and her father. Though both males understand that each others goals is to successfully raise chicks, and their combined packs has made life golden, so the least they could do is father each others chicks…

Even so, Scarlet needs someone more trust worthy. She turns away from her sub-father, and approaches her parents. Both were already preoccupied. Still, to cuddle with family was far more reassuring. Scarlet strode around her father, stepping over the stiff bangle tail known in the raptor realm. Rounding her fathers exceptional male frame, Scarlet comes face to face with her mourning mother. She doesn't like the sound she's making, but right now, she doesn't care. She pushes her wounded snout forcefully at first, into her mother's soft belly skin, and then tenderly when her face erupts into little burning sensations.

For a moment, Raptor Red's crying stops, her golden eyes taking in the ruined face of her pretty daughter. Her hand falls from its cradled position, and sets delicately on Scarlet's back.

Together, the family mourns till dusk.

One by one, the raptors stretch and then begin the trek back to the segno cave. Leaving the remainder of the carcass to the tro-odonts and the dactyls. They have not forgotten the chick by now, since the reminder is imprinted on Scarlet's face, but not even the kind hearted Raptor Red can see the reason in idle depression. Tomorrow they must feed their chicks, but for now, the warmth and safety of the cave is very welcome for the exhausted pack.

It is early morning; a time where the sun should have hit the mountaintop long ago, yet the gray gloomy caste kept the light from revealing the summer glory of the woods. Raptor Red and her consort stand at the cave's entrance, sniffing and staring. Her niece and her consort join her after renewing the scent markings at the base of the hill.

Thunder rumbles to the west, and again in the east; louder and closer that time. She can feel the ?barometric? pressure drop. Raptor Red doesn't like it. Such signs means a bad storm, a bad storm means an uncomfortable pack, an uncomfortable pack means bad moods, and bad moods all around means hunting today will be a bear, not including the rather unstable moods of their prey. _No. We will not go hunting today,_ she thinks as she looks at her mate. He looks at her, coming to the same assessment, and together they head back into the safety of the cave.

At least, she would have if her niece hadn't bumped her, rather hard too, on the flank. For a split second she remembers her niece doing this exact same thing, except then it was right before Raptor Red's sister's tragic death. Another bump, and an insistent stamp follows. Her niece wants to go hunt, and she's acting just like how her mother would have.

Raptor Red's niece's mate appears to agree with Raptor Red and her consort, though by the way he keeps looking back between the two, it is obvious he doesn't know who he should support. Raptor Red and her mate's decision seems to be the most logical… He's bumped, rather roughly, from his mate. Briefly he watches her, chuffs as if to say, _If you insist, _before he follows after the taller form of his mate.

Raptor Red exchanges a glance with her consort. Both realize the futility of this hunt, yet both are reluctant to let them hunt alone.

Little bodies press up against Raptor Red's calf. They hadn't been awake to see their parents leave. Raptor Red The wind rushes between the trees, making Red shiver.

Raptor Red's made up her mind. Her mate and herself will stay to protect the chicks. After all, the chick's sensitive bodies couldn't cope with the weather anyway.

Another chick, bigger then the others, and Raptor Red's other niece, stands tall next to the adults. She's staring down slope, sniffing deeply. She can just barely smell her sister. She looks up at her aunt, back down slope, then drops her hands, as if to say, _Oh, what's the point. She'll be long gone anyway._

If Raptor Red was given the complex facial expressions, she would have smiled. The chick has been acting more and more like the adults. She knows that the chick wants to take on more of the adult activities. She's helped bring back food to her siblings when the weather hasn't permitted the youngsters to follow. Raptor Red gives her niece an affection muzzle-nuzzle, before she leads the families back to the segno caves.

Raptor Red sits on the cushioned pad of her hip bone; an adaptation inherited from her ancestors that is bird-like in proportion. The angle and strength of the bone is capable of bearing her weight in a completely upright position. As such, only raptors are capable of sitting this way, all others sit straight down, with their shoulders close to the ground.

Upright, Raptor Red stares into the stormy abyss beyond the warmth and safety of the segno cave. She can see no more then a few feet out in the roaring down pour. "Sssnuuuuuuffch," she sighs. There's still no sign of her niece and mate. It's too dark to see much more then the moonlight reflected in the rain. The chicks and her mate are sleeping, but for Raptor Red, who is a late-night raptor, sleep isn't an option. She's too worried about her sister's oldest chick to attempt some rest anyway.

Raptor Red hears ghurking noises behind her. She turns to look, her eyes adjusting from the moonlit glow to the shadowy contours of the cave. She can barely make out a massive shadow leave the bark nests. Her keen sense of smell tells her its her mate long before she can make out the familiar shadowed outline of her male.

He comes and sits besides her, keeping company and keeping watch with her. After a while he applies the leaning gesture. Raptor Red leans back, sighing again, content, despite her worry.

That contented bubble popped. Two glistening, silver-lined figures enter the cave. Raptor Red and her consort set immediately to their feet, "HSSSssssssss," then they fall silent.

It's Raptor Red's niece and her male. Both are agitated, her niece more so then her mate. For a moment, Raptor Red thinks it is her sister back from the dead. The way her niece flails her arms and hisses is exactly what her sister would be doing right now.

All her commotion wakes up the chicks, who stare up at the agitated adults, they stare open mouthed, the youngest ones have never seen their mother behave this way, the oldest of them has, and she seeks the safety of Raptor Red's belly skin. The tro-odonts who have sought shelter deeper in the recesses of the cave wake up, see the aggressive raptor, and hide further along in the tunnel works left behind by the segnosaur previously killed by Raptor Red's sister.

Raptor Red takes the initiative and draws up to her niece, cooing and making grooming movements. Raptor Red's mate avoids the agitated female completely. He can still remember his mate's sister's malevolence, and he personally doesn't want a repeat of last year. The other male, on the other hand, has calmed almost completely. Now that he is out of the weather, he's feeling a ton better, and now helps Raptor Red in calming his mate. He touches her delicately on the flank with his muzzle. She flinches, looks to see who touched her, before she stretches to return the gesture on her mate's muzzle.

Raptor Red relaxes, then heads back to her nest beside her mate. After all that excitement, she could use a long rest.


End file.
